The Living Soil - Understanding Vineyard Soils - page 194

Table 5.5 Range of Species Used in Cover Crops

Type of cover crop Common species Attributes Soil factors Limitations

Winter cereals Oats Suitable for green manuring or “mow

and throw”; go well with legumes

Wide range of soil pH; tolerate
waterlogging

Slow, early growth

Barley More green yield than other cereals;

competitive with weeds; green
manuring

Salt tolerant; prefers soil
pH(CaCl 2 ) >5.5

Cereal rye Does well in cool regions; drought

tolerant; green manuring

Wide range of soil pH; benefits
soil structure

Straw slow to decompose

Triticale Competes well with weeds; green

manuring

Well adapted to acid soils;
tolerates low fertility

Straw slow to decompose

Annual legumes Faba bean Winter growing; N fixing; deep tap root;

green manuring; early maturing

Suited to loams and clays Should be inoculated in

acid soils; unsuitable for
mowing

Field bean Winter growing; N fixing; green

manuring

Suited to loams and clays Shallow root system; not

suitable for mowing

Vetch Winter-spring growth; green manuring

and mowing; combines well with
cereals

Wide range of soil pH Hard seeded; may

germinate when no
longer needed

Lupin Winter growing; deep tap root; green

manuring

Suited to sandy soil and low pH;
intolerant of free lime

Requires a specific
Rhizobium strain;
susceptible to
waterlogging

Medics Winter growing; drought tolerant; hard

seeded; green manuring

Prefer neutral to alkaline soils Susceptible to waterlogging